Wireless Charging Accessory Might Not Ship Until After New 2017 iPhones Launch

[DaveWotzit]

If all these rumours are true then the upcoming iPhone seems very half baked and not much of what should be in it is working as it should be or will miss the deadline to go to production??!?!?

 

[hotgril]

Inductive charging... yuck. Slow, requires specific positioning, and requires special dock? No thanks.

I just wish I had it all this time because meanwhile, I've been dealing with broken Lightning cables. Worst cable in the history of cables, maybe ever. I actually would rather have the 20-pin beast.
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wireless != inductive
Still, inductive can be better than conventional, but it is still not wireless. The same way the Apple Watch is not wireless.

I see no reason why inductive is not wireless. You don't attach a wire, so it's wireless. But we're both talking about semantics.

 

[mi7chy]

Plug it into a 12 Watt iPad charger and it will charge far faster. This data set is using the included 5 Watt charger, which is fine, but the fact is, you can 'fast charge' iPhones.

Even with the optional 12W charger the iPhone 7 Plus still charges slower (2.08 hours) than both Samsung 2015 fast wireless charging (1.92 hours) and fast wired charging (1.5 hours).

 

[BruceEBonus]

Apple have now gone onto form over function. This is the complete opposite of what they became after Jobs left. It's now a case of grab it now before they remove it from the next model and charge more for the privilege. Here is an example of their twisted philosophy. My daughter is selling her 2014 MacBook Pro to me after hardly using it since purchase. If it had been the latest version then there is no way Idve gone for it because I will never go down the dongle route. Gimmicks like the TouchBar are just that and things like USB ports and HDMI are functional. Not fashionable. Chances are when my iMac dies it'll be a PC. And when this MacBook goes it'll be a Surface. And that's how a lot of people are going now. The bad guys used to be Windows computers with their inbuilt incompatibility. Now that Windows 10 is a really good OS and Microsoft are the new market leaders. The worm really has turned for Apple who are rehashing old tech and thinning stuff instead of thinking stuff. People aren't waiting for Apple to catch up any more because they don't have to. The competition IS very real now and as I still predict 2017 is the make or break year for Apple. Charity dinners and right-on projects only cut it so far before folks will be asking what else they can get for the same cash ... or less.

 

[Sedulous]

I just wish I had it all this time because meanwhile, I've been dealing with broken Lightning cables. Worst cable in the history of cables, maybe ever. I actually would rather have the 20-pin beast.
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I see no reason why inductive is not wireless. You don't attach a wire, so it's wireless. But we're both talking about semantics.

Actually I agree that Apple's lightning cables are terrible quality. I bought a crappy Walmart cable that is great. Might be because the insulation is thicker.

 

[thebeans]

With inductive charging, it still requires the devices to be placed on a charging pad, correct?

I'd rather just have it plugged in, at least you could still pick up the phone while it is charging.

I agree 100%. I don't understand the fascination with "wireless" charging. It is actually less convenient than just plugging it in. Just like you said, if it is plugged in you can still pick it up to use it if needed.

 

[Michael Scrip]

When I go into a Restaurant I put my phone on silent and into a pocket. Quaint I know but some of us are NOT addicted to the damm things.
Perhaps you could try it. You never know you might find it a pleasant change.
In fact I'd actually prefer to go to those new fangled places where phones don't work to eat. Then at least people talk to each other.

First of all... lose the tone.

Second of all... the comment I was replying to was in reference to someone saying "having charging mats when you're out and about instead of asking for a charger"

We've all heard of the idea of charging pads built into tables. Restaurants would be a natural fit.

I'm not saying it's a good thing.

When I go to a restaurant with friends... I do talk to them.

 

[jon3543]

Well, in 2020 Samsung and LG will have the ability to charge an entire house and all its appliances from a satellite in orbit.

We are talking about vaporware from the future now, right? You see, I can imagine all kinds of cool stuff and make up timetables and have not one shred of evidence to back it up too.

P.S. The tech that Energous is using has been proven to be utterly useless more than a few feet from the base station. It would take roughly 10 days for a phone to get a complete charge from 10-15 feet away if the phone were in sleep mode and would still lose a charge if in use. It is also hampered by tons of regulatory and safety issues that we likely won't see actual use for at least another 5 to 10 years.

Dude denied being long Energous a few days ago, but I don't believe him. lol

 

[dampfnudel]

Delay the product, so the cost of the charger and cost of iPhone don't stack and seems less painful. Therefore, more people buy? lol

I bet it will be $99, look at the cost of the Apple Watch dock.

That makes sense. Apple is well aware that their high prices can only be tolerated in small/individual doses. To be honest, it's disappointing that Apple didn't give us true ranged wireless charging instead of some gimmick employed by Samsung and others for years. I know I won't be buying it when it comes out, even if Apple only charges $49 for it. Maybe the wireless charging we're all waiting for is being held back for the iPhone 8s?

 

[thebeans]

From that logic LTE isn't wireless either since the cell tower has a wired fiber backhaul.

Your analogy is faulty. If you had to walk up to the cell tower and lay your phone on it for it to work, how useful would it be? Not much I think. And also, if you could have a true wireless charger and it would charge the phone from across the room that would be great and more akin to true "wireless" charging. I agree with those that downplay the current wireless charging tech. It is not just not that useful to have to lay a phone on a charging pad. Plugs are much smaller and the phone can more easily be used during charging. But, you have to start somewhere so if the iPhone has inductive charging, that's OK as long as it doesn't have any significant drawbacks as far as adding too much bulk, weight, etc

 

[SeattleMoose]

Scanning quickly I thought the article said "Worthless Charging Accessory".... (OK, it WAS a freudian slip...)

 

[spiffers]

I see no reason why inductive is not wireless. You don't attach a wire, so it's wireless.

Well, on the Apple Watch you attach a wire with a magnet to it, so what do you call that? I like to use the same definition as Apple, they call it "magnetic charging".

At some point, maybe not too long, in the future, we will see real wireless charging. Even if there is no cord connected in a port on the device with for example Qi, it still demands physical contact with the coil connected to the outlet, exactly as the magnetic charger by Apple. So no, this is not just semantics, this is naming something what it really is. And to stop the whattaboutism discussion regarding Wi-Fi and Cell radios, the connection to the base is completely wireless, there is no predicate of having a physical connection between the radio and receiver.

I just want to close my participating in this discussion with a quote from John Gruber

In the wake of the previous item, allow me a brief rant on the word wireless. Merriam-Webster:

having no wire or wires; specifically : operating by means of transmitted electromagnetic waves a wireless remote

I like New Oxford American’s definition even better:

using radio, microwaves, etc. (as opposed to wires or cables) to transmit signals

Wi-Fi is wireless. No one would accept wireless as a description for an internet connection that required the device to be in physical contact with a charger, even if it were magnetic rather than a port you plug a cable into.

So Apple Watch, for example, does not use wireless charging. Apple describes it perfectly as “magnetic charging”. It sounds like this is what might be in store for the next iPhone. That’d be cool — but it wouldn’t be as cool as being able to charge over the air.

If we call inductive charging “wireless” now, what are we going to call it when it really is wireless in a few years?

 

[AdonisSMU]

No, there is nothing true in what you said, which I'm not entirely sure why you want to argue about something that doesn't even exist yet and the fact NO one has even seen what this new iPhone will resemble. Seems rather futile to disagree with.

Gurrrl, you're the one who quoted me to make a point that no one cared about in the first place. Obviously, there will be people who will buy anything Apple puts in front of them upgrades or no upgrades. Stop being obtuse. I don't think anyone here cared to debate that other than you. That's my point.

 

[Azzin]

Exactly. Between home (I typically lay my phone on my dresser with my keys and wallet), the car (vent mount), and work (stand on my desk), I plug and unplug my lightning cable 20 times a day at minimum. Why wouldn't I want to cut out that chore? Even if it's not actual wireless charging, it's an optional way to charge that is of some to potentially major benefit. Why is this hard for people to understand?

Why do you have to charge your phone so much?

I charge mine overnight and maybe it will get a top up once if I've been using it a lot during the day.

But plugging in in 10 times per day?

Either you're exaggerating to (try and) make your point, or your phone has a fault.

 

[macfacts]

... Lightning, on the other hand, is inserted correctly 100% of the time.
....

Now imagine a situation where you don't even have to insert a cable, you just place it down on a charging mat. And with magnets (look up Palm pre wireless charging) you can place your phone down while drunk.

 

[hotgril]

Well, on the Apple Watch you attach a wire with a magnet to it, so what do you call that? I like to use the same definition as Apple, they call it "magnetic charging".

At some point, maybe not too long, in the future, we will see real wireless charging. Even if there is no cord connected in a port on the device with for example Qi, it still demands physical contact with the coil connected to the outlet, exactly as the magnetic charger by Apple. So no, this is not just semantics, this is naming something what it really is. And to stop the whattaboutism discussion regarding Wi-Fi and Cell radios, the connection to the base is completely wireless, there is no predicate of having a physical connection between the radio and receiver.

I just want to close my participating in this discussion with a quote from John Gruber

You can call the newer kind "radio charging." They're going to have to if they don't want confusion with the current system, which is really what matters in the end. Scientifically, magnetic fields and EMR are related. Doesn't conflict with the dictionary either. But if Apple wants to try convincing everyone otherwise, they can do it at the risk of losing sales.

As for the Apple Watch, IDK what I call it. I've seen one like 3 times, never charging.
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Why do you have to charge your phone so much?

I charge mine overnight and maybe it will get a top up once if I've been using it a lot during the day.

But plugging in in 10 times per day?

Either you're exaggerating to (try and) make your point, or your phone has a fault.

Maybe he uses Android.
[doublepost=1499638402][/doublepost]

Actually I agree that Apple's lightning cables are terrible quality. I bought a crappy Walmart cable that is great. Might be because the insulation is thicker.

Yes, and the other issue is the connector has something analogous to DRM but for cables. It's ridiculous. Even my "certified" cables often show up as "unsupported" to the phone, usually starting at some random point a year or so after purchase. It's like the totally random issues people have with HDCP.

 

[9594864]

Even with the optional 12W charger the iPhone 7 Plus still charges slower (2.08 hours) than both Samsung 2015 fast wireless charging (1.92 hours) and fast wired charging (1.5 hours).

I don't think anyone cares though. I have an iPad 12 Watt charger and I still just use the 5 Watt.

 

[zync]

I just wish I had it all this time because meanwhile, I've been dealing with broken Lightning cables. Worst cable in the history of cables, maybe ever. I actually would rather have the 20-pin beast.
[doublepost=1499621964][/doublepost]
I see no reason why inductive is not wireless. You don't attach a wire, so it's wireless. But we're both talking about semantics.

Quit wishing. You can be using QI for like $25. There are some receiver/charger bundles as little as $19, but this is the one I'm using with an Anker QI charger that I think was $16.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FMDL8MS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This setup works great. I notched out my case with a dremel and I've been using this with an Anker QI charger. It's an awesome setup. I thought maybe I'd miss the speed of charging by lightning cables, but nope. I've never even removed it to charge via cable since I switched over. I put in on the pad when I go to sleep, and it's 100% after a few hours. I'm not constantly on my phone so I'm never recharging in the middle of a day anyway but YMMV.

If you need a QI pad at home and at the office it's no big deal—QI chargers are cheap. They're barely more than a third party Lightning cable. I also have an Omnicharge with QI on it that I take on shoots and travel (that also powers my laptop with a small cable). So having that with me means one less cable I need to bring.

If the next phone doesn't have QI, I'll keep going with this receiver. I wish my Apple watch used QI, but it uses some BS variant that doesn't work with standard QI for "reasons."

Anyway those who are knocking QI because "what's the difference between plugging in a cable and using a pad" might want to give it a shot (especially if you plug in at night in the dark). I hope it's in iPhone 8 and that they use standard QI.

I agree 100%. I don't understand the fascination with "wireless" charging. It is actually less convenient than just plugging it in. Just like you said, if it is plugged in you can still pick it up to use it if needed.

You might not like it or want it, but it's in no way less convenient than plugging it in. I walk into my bedroom and lay my phone down. Done. I no longer have to find the end of the cord and find the end of my cable (often in the dark in my case since my wife is usually asleep before me). Sure, I can't just pick it up and use it while it's charging, but I can just pick it up and put it right back down and it's charging again. That's not much of a drawback unless you take your phone to 0% before charging it. And the excellent benefit is when I want to go farther away than 6 ft I can just pick up my phone with one hand and leave without unplugging anything. It's great.

 

[oneMadRssn]

This is not wireless charging, it is inductive charging and it still has wires. Stop calling it wireless.

Correction: It still has wires, plus lots of power loss inefficiency, and heat!

 

[subjonas]

Why do you have to charge your phone so much?

I charge mine overnight and maybe it will get a top up once if I've been using it a lot during the day.

But plugging in in 10 times per day?

Either you're exaggerating to (try and) make your point, or your phone has a fault.

No, not exaggerating (and its 20, not 10), and no, phone is not faulty.

I forget to charge overnight a lot. But regardless if power is available I have a habit of always keeping it topped.

But it's not just to charge. I dock/connect it to play music, and to make sure the "sync only when plugged in" features are running.

 

[WiseAJ]

when it is released it will also take six weeks to deliver even seven months after it comes out.

 

[tonyberinson]

Once again we put a reliance on a blogger - who has nothing to do with apple - except he is a fanboy.

Seriously Macrumours - I know ur site is about Rumour - but relying on these idiots like bloggers and so called expert analysts - really does nothing but get clicks on your site and cause arguments and angst between the posters.

 

[EdT]

Contact induction is not a feature that makes a phone a must have item. Especially when other brands have been using the same technology for years already. I was hoping for something that had at least a few feet radius of truly wireless charging efficiency, so you could have it in your car and not worry about not having it (cable) plugged in while using maps or streaming..

If it's really only a Q1 style charger, it should have been a feature 2 or 3 phone models ago.

 

[pratikindia]

It should not cost more than $75 if sold separately.

 

[Brandhouse]

We don't know if the 8 will ship will ship with a wireless charging thing or not. Surely to start going, "Oh, the sky is falling in!", shouldn't we wait to find out before we sat bashing and laying blame when we don't know anything?

I know this is a rumours site, but really to put all our faith into someone's speculation of what might be, is just dumb.